Leather-splitting machine.



W. D. QUIGLEY. LEATHER SPLITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0019,1912.

LW5Y9$ Patentea 00514, 1913.

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W. :0. QUIGLEY. LEATHER SPLITTING MAUHINE.

APPLIGATIOH FILED 00129, 1912.

Patented Oct. 14:, 1913.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W. EQUIGLEY LEATHER SPLITTING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED 001m 1.912v

9T 1. 11 d m a MH m? G a E M mm k LM m wm a MW Ma 7 Maw/M 5 M U v a l W. D. QUIGLEY. LEATHER SPLITTING mcamz.

APPLICATION FILED OOTJ), 1912. 1 @?5 9g Patented Got. 14;, 1913 '7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

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W. D. QUIGLEY. LEATHER SPLITTING MACHINE.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII D 00'! 9,1912. I

g-y5 7gg Patented flct. 14, 1913.

7 EEEEEEEEEEE '1 7 oisirnn WILLIAM D.'QUIGL1JZ, OF EAST BOSTON, TMASSACHUSETTS.

LEATHER-SPLIIFTZNG MACHINE.

Application filed ti etober 9,

edge of the splitting-blade to be set at or very close to the line of maxinnnn compression of the hide between the rolls, and means whereby the adjusted position of the blade is automatically maintained despite the withdrawal of said. edge by reason of the abrasion thereof by the sharpening devices.

The invention further consists in the means for supporting the lower feed roll and for adjusting the same with reference to the splitting-blade, in the construction of the blade, sharpening devices, and in the various combinations and instrumcntalities more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In, the accompanying drawings l igures l and 2 taken together form an elevation of the rear side of the machine. Jig. 3 is an elevation of the left hand end, and Fig. i is an elevation of the right hand end, of the machine as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. .3 is a section on the line .11, a; of Fig. 1. Fig. (5 a detail view .of the controlling mechanism for automatically restoring the blade edge to adj usied position. with. respect to the teed rolls and sharpening devices. Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the feeling: disks 42. Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevation of the device for regulating the resiliency ol' the support for the lower teed roll. l ig. El is a detailed view of the bell crank lever 15. Figs. 10 and ll illustrate the principle of the roll adjustment; hereinafter described.

Similar numbers and letters of reti-wrence indicate like parts.

The machine belongs to the tvpc in which the hide, supported on a suitable lablc, enters between teed rolls and. is so carried over the continuously moving blade wherclrv it is split. its well uiulershmd, the best i'clation between the cutting edge of the blade and the rolls Clilsls when said edge set as close as possible to the line o't maximum Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get. full, 1913.

1912. Serial No, 724,799.

compression of the hide between the rolls. Just to the extent that the blade edge is distant from this line of maximum compression, the hide travels unsupported and therefore has opportunity to depart from a true plane and to become more or less buckled before it is split. The splits are then no longer made of uniform thickness and the number of splits obtainable front a given hide is reduced, with consequent imperfect work and economic loss. The setting of the blade edge with respect to the line of maximum compression is determined by the clearance between the rolls and blade: that is to say, the greater the clearance, the 'more closely can the edge be set to the line of maximum compression. lhis clearance in turn depends upon the radius oi curvature of the rolls, and the between them. if the radius of curvature of either or both rolls be increased, other things remaining equal, the clearance will be diminished, and therefore the blade must be reset to a new position, farther distant from the c0n1pression line. Sin'iilarly,- if one roll be moved toward or from the other, so as to vary the space between the rolls, in the e: so when it is desired to make splits of diilerent thickncsses.) then. it becon'res necessary to reset the blade in accordance with the new roll adjustment. The change in radius of cur. vaturc at a roll occurs under working con? ditions, even when no actual adjustment of the roll itself is made. Thus, tor example it a hide be passed between the rolls measuring, say, tivc millimeters in thickness, and the split to be taken oil' of the top of that hide is only one millimeter in thickness, then the four millimeters of remaining thickness of the hide will practically increase the radius of curvature of the lowed-roll to that extent, and will reduce the clearance and so require the blade to be set back from the compression line proportionately. Again, it the lower roll, for example, have an elastic coverirrg;- which becomes flattened un der the prissurc transmitted through the hide. again the curvature radius of the flattened part of the roll becomes augmented, with consequent decrease in the clearance, and necessity. as before, for resetting the blade. All of these conditions occur when the axes of rotation of the two rolls lie in one and the same vertical plane, perpendicular to the plane of theblade.

Here A repbe" sorf ces g, P coal are iv )ilii- The or both of lhe rolls isvarl i.

"resents he blacle, he in- L s which lies in {the verlical plane passing; cnrough the 5r rotation cl? ilac rolls. The clearance spaces between the rolls surfaces 5;, Fa the blade are here shown to be Wide enough permit the cclge to be brought to :he compression line a, but it is obvious that if the blade ec ge be kept in the same position and bile rolls B, C be enlarged, as shown at l E, then the clearance between rolls and blccle Will be reduced; while if said rolls be slill further enlarged, as shown at F, G, siill further reelection of the clearance will follow; so that it will be necessary to se the for a considerable distance back til'oi'n che coin ression line a b (l;o the right of the chewing Fig. 10)

order to regain the ori incl amount of clear- .3 1

ance. HOW I enlew :znenc of if e rol may be reqnireo ifo.- r h as to secure 1%. neither b on the hi or to render the rolls psbie of benrli e or how occurring, to maintain c L] deformation, 'anrl so on. The problem then is, despite enlargement of rolls or in crease of the reelins of curvature, no mailer suliicient clear mice between rolls one? blade Without any backward resetting of the blmle Whatever. At first sighl, problem may seem to be impractionbleof solution, because, as l h ,1 pointed out, it is oliecieti not merely by oireci; changes in reclius of curvature-lei lhe rolls, but by such cccirlenlnl c cnclilions the thickness of ilhe hide intervening between the blade and one roll or the other,

and also by the chromatic departure lz-he blade edge from. the compression line, one to seen, therefore, that the solution 0 two parts; namely, he con.

:55 placed ll'lllllfb r constant Wearing away of snicl. edge by the l'lrrlinary sharpeni devices constantly nbreding it While in operation. will be factors complex, cn that l'hey involve not merely an, initial relation. between'bhicle and. rolls, but means meeting with that blade for octomntically maintaining that relation clc' lie the grinding away of the edge. For purposes of description, n'iy practical solution ol: the problem, one embodiment-01" which is illustrated in the accompanying drmvings, may, therefore, be conveniently divided into 4'. Lion whereby suitable clearance is tl n rolls, despite increase in radius of eurvw ture and other conditions hitherto noted;

whereby the blmie edge may always he lied proximity to the com- C and lhe beveled 7 I'IlLlIltiLlIlQCl between pression line, and second, in the means whereby the said edge is constantly restcreoi lo eclj there 1! metal by the usual sharpening devices.

steal position. despite its Withdrnvml' 1, as by the Wearing away of its The crinci )le nnderlvinq niv arraiwement l l as a the fecal rolls will be best understood from a. comparison of Figyli with Fig. '10. As some the rolls B, C, as before, to be enlarged. to the size D, but instead of placing the centers of the rolls in he vertical Tilane represenliccl by compression line a, l), leithem be placer respectively the converging planes represented. by ilielines 0, (Z, and e, f, each of which planes is located in frontof the edge oi the blade and is inclined to a plane including the edge and transverse axis of said blade. Preferably these planes are at right angles lo the beveled surfaces 9 h which form Lhe edge of the blade. The angle of inclination to the vertical is the some for both planes and c, and may be about 6 it will be seen that the clearance space between the circular peripheries of the enl largecl. rolls D, and. the beveledsurfnces.

g, h of the blade A will not be diminished as in Fig. 10, and that this holds true even the rolls be. enlarged to the sizes 15, G. Ur, in olher erorrls, despite rho enlargement of the radius of curvature of the rolls, the clearance above and below the blade will. not be diminished, and. hence it will not be neces sary to move the blade away from the compre on line, in the case of Fig. 10. All lhal is required, therefore, in order to mein lain proper clearance during the splitting operation Without resetting of the blade and under all conditions Whether temporary and time to the displacement of the rolls by varying thickness of the hide, or to adjust ment or me rolls i'ieurer to or fluher from the bevelezi surfaces of th'e hlsde, or to enlargement of radius of curve-flare of the rolls. is simply lo arrange these rolls so that when they are elisplaced or when their curvature radii very or are varied from any cause,

their ones will n'1ove, not in the line of corn pressi- 2, in the vertical plane, but in com .nes c, (Z and a, 7, located as referably at right angles rehe beveled surfaces g, h oil the ill) for supporting the rolls and for causing their axes of rotation tomove in'the converging planes aforesaid.

1 is the lower or led frame of the machine, carrying end standards 2. Extending between the standards is a framc 3, "having at its ends plates at which support the journals of'the upper teed roll B and which have ribs to enter guide-ways 5 on the standards 2. The frame 3 at its ends is extended beyond the standards and. is supportednn rubber springs 6 resting on brackets '7, Fig. 2. Suitable screws operate by hand-wheels 8 and bearing on the upper edges of the standards serve to adjust frame 3 in its guidc-ways On. each side of frame 3,are bolted plates 9, Fig. 5, having their lower edges inwardly inclined, which plates .receive the roll B. The upper side of roll. B bears against rollers carried by adjusting screws 10 passing through said frame 3. The inclination of the guide-Ways 5 corresponds to that of the line 0, d, in l ig. 3.1, so that the path of movement of the roll 13 is as described in connection with said figure; namely, in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the upper beveled surface g I of the blade A.

lln order to cause the rotation axis of the lower feed roll C to move in an inclined plane represented by the line 6, of Fig. 11, I journal said roll at its endsin boxes supported on suitably inclined guide-slots 11, Fig. 4, in standards 2, and I support said boxes on levers 12, pivoted on saidstandards. One of said levers is shown in Fig. 5. In the end of the long arm of each lever 12 is an opening, through which loosely passes a threaded rod 13, I Said rod also loosely passes through two bars 14, which are connected by the headed bolts v15, 16, threaded to rcceivenuts 17. On the threaded rod 13 below lever 12 is an adjusting nut 18, below which -is a rubber spring 20, the lever and spring bearing respectively on the .bars 14. The rod 13 passes loosely through spring 20. The rod 13 at its lower end car- Les a strap which surrounds a cam 22 on a rock shaft 23, journaled between standards and on suit. rock shaft is a handle by means oil which said shaft ma y be turi'ied and which may be secured by a.

,clamping nut received in a curved slot in a The following adjustments are now to be noted: By turning the nut 18, the bars i l, spring 20 and the end of the lever 12 are moved unitedly up or down on the rod 13. In this way I eli'ect the initial. setting of the lower feed roll C with respect to the splitting-blade By turning the nuts 17, I compress more or less the rubber spring 20. This regulates the resilience of said spring, for the following purpose: The lowor feed roll is provided with a covering 27,

Fig. 5, of india-rubber or other elastic mate rial. After the initial adjustment of the lower roll with respect to the blade, different thicknesses of hide up to a certain limit be permitted to pass between the blade and said lower roll, by reason of the yielding of said elastic covering 27, without causing, bodily displacement of said lower "feed roll. But in case the hide thickness exceeds the limit thus provided for, a downward displacement of the lower feed roll must be allowed. This is controlled by the resilience of the rubber spring 20, which in turn is regulated by the nuts 17. so that the lower roll will not begin to move downwardly until the pressure of the hide over and above that required to compress the elastic covering 27 is sullicient to overcome the regulatedresistance of spring 20.

The function of the rock shaft 23, cam connected to rods 13, and the handle 24, is to enable the lower feed roll to be dropped down for any desired distance to permit of removal or repairs.

It will be obvious that it the lower feed roll were supported by levers such as 12, mounted on ordinary fixed pivots, its path of movement when bodily depressed against the resilience of spring 20, as above described, would be a curve, and that this would be incompatible with the free sliding movement of its journal boxes in the straight guide-slots 11. This difiiculty is avoided by inserting in a circular opening in said lever 12 a disk 28, Fig. 5, free to turn. in said opening, and providing'in said disk an eccentrically placed aperture for the reception of the pivot pin 29. This expedient permits not only of a turning motion of the lever on its pivot, but also of a longitudinal motion of said lever, sutficient to'prevent jamming of the journal boxes in the guide-ways, while moving therein.

The elastic covering 27 on the lower feed roll not only permits varying thicknesses of hide (up to certain limit, as dcscriberh) to pass between the rolls, but when said lower roll is a positively driven roll, is here the case, it gives to said roll a much more powerful grip on the hide than can be obtained with a metalor other hard roll. Hitherto it has not been found desirable to use positively driven elastic feed rolls, because as l have already pointed out, the compression of and drag upon their yielding surfaces flattens the curvature and so reduces the,

clearance space between roll and blade, so that the initial setting of roll to blade must in such case be sufficientto allow of ample clearness, despitc the maximum flattening of the roll curvature; and that means a certain initial Withdrawing of the blade edge from the compression line. With my construction, due to the placing of the rolls tit new

with their. axes of rotation. in converging planes on the feed side, this curvature fiattening does not require any such iiiit'ial adjustment of the blade, and hence i am enabled to use positively driven elastic sur faced roll, with this hitherto serious disadvantage eliminated.

I will now describe devices for restoring the blade edge to normally adjusted position after the same has become Wit drawn therefrom through the operation of the machine.

The blade A is of the usual band form, passing overthe pulleys J, K. its upper portion is received in guides or jaws 30, Fig. 5, from which the edge protrudes to enter between the rolls B, (J. The lower portion of the blade is received in guides or jaws 31, from which the edge protrudes to enter between the sharpening disks 33. In the upper jaws are a number of setting out screws. 341-, having their inner ends swiveled in blocks which receive the back of the blade. Similarly, in the lower jaws is a single setting out screw 35, having its end swiveled in a block'which also receives the back Oi the blade. On the screws a e sprocket nuts 36. On screw is a sprocket nut 37; By means of: screws 34, the working edge of the blade may be adjusted with respect to the line of compression. of the hide, and by means of the screw 35 the blade edge may be adjusted with. respect to the sl'iarpcning disks 33. v

I will now describe the incans'whereby the blade edge is kept. automatically in adjusted position between the feed rolls with respect to the compression line.

lcferring to Figs. l, 6,- 7 and 9: Pivuted on a bracket 25 projecting from one of the standards 2 is a. sleeve 38 liavinpithrce arms 39, d0, ll. Supported between the arms 39, 40 upon adjustable screws and'lrccly rotating are two feeling i'lislqs 42, Fig. 7, separated from one another and havingtheir lower circumferential cd 'es beveled to lit against the beveled surfaces 9 it of the blade A. The actual edge of the blade lies between the disks and does not come in contact with them. The third arm 41!. on sleeve 38 extends-through a slot in the vertical. arm of a bell crank lever 45, Fig. 9, pivoted. on a standard on said bracket 25. 'lhe, other arm of lever 45 is connected to a rod. 4:4; which extends loosely through the lower member of a rectangular frame 4. T, 4; and 6, and is headed above said member.

A threaded rod d8, adjustably connected to frame i7, is secured to a helical spring 49, which is connected to the short arm of a lever 50.- Lever is pivoted to a right angled arm. 52 which is loose on a shaft 53 jeurnaledin hearings on the side ol' standard 2. Fast on shaft 53 is a ra chet wheel 5% with which engages a hook pawl 55 pivoted on arm 52, A spring holding pawl 51 also-engages with ratchet wheel 5 0n the long arm of lever 50'is a hook 56 which, when suitably depressed, engages with a projection 57 on the shaft 58 of blade pulley J, Figs. 4 and 6, and shaft 58 is -journaled in the usual bearings L, N on standard The operation of this mechanism, so far as de scribed, is as follows: The preponderating weight of the long armpit ldver 50, acting through the linkage described upon feeling disks 4C2, causes said disks normally to be pressed resiliently against the blade A, the adjustment then being such that the hook 56 is in the position shown in Fig. 6, and hence out of engagement with the projection 5'7. If by reason of the grinding away of the beveled surfaces of blade A, or from any "other cause, theblade edge becomes withdrawn from its initial adjusted position either with respect to the compression line at the feed rolls, or with respect to the grinding disks, then the blade surfaces against which the disks 1-2 press tend to re cede from said disks,-and the disks follow them. The long arm of lever 50 then descends, bringing hook 56 into the path of rotation of projection 57, so that engagement of hook and projection follows. The arm 52 is then drawn to the right of Fig.

6, turning on shaft as a pivot, and they pawl 55 engages with ratchet wheel 54 and moves that wheel ahead one tooth, so turning shaft 53. shaft a threefold result follows: first, the blade edge is restored to its original position. with respect to the line of compres sion "from which it may have departedlby reasonof wear and grinding seccnd, the blade edge is restored to its original position with respect to the sharpening dis is, so that they may again operate efiect-ively upon it -and third, inasmuch as both results must be accomplished without sliding the blade across the faces of its supporting pulleys J, K, (which would, of course, involve considerable friction) the pulleys J,

K themselves are bodily moved'with the blade, and in the same directionllhese re-- sults are accomplished in the following way: a) The return of the blade to its original position with respect to the line of COED-- Because of this turning of.

as i

(31 Fig, i, which passes over a sprocket pulley (32 on shaft 53 and engages with all (it the sprocket nuts 36 on screws 34, by passmp; alternately over said wheels and under guide rollers 63, l' and 2, and over a sprocket wheel 77 on short shaft 74 at the other end of the machine, as shown in Fig 3. Hence all of said screws-3 A- actlng onthe back of the blade push the edge forward and toward the compression line.

journal bearings L for pulley (Z2) The movement ot the blade toward the grinding disks 3?) is effected by'means .The sprocket-nut 3? of adjusting screw is rotated by a chain (ll, Figs. 3 and 4:, lead ing to a sprockct whcel (35 on a short shaft (So, on which is a second sprocket wheel 67, rcceiving niotion from a sprocket wheel (38 on shaft 74. v

(c) The blade pulleys are moved bodily in the direction of the abovedescribed mov emcut of the blade, as follows: One of the shalt has two upwardly extending arms 70, 4, through which loosely passes the threaded rod Tl. On said rod between the arms 70 is a sprocket nut 72, connected by a sprocket chain to a sprocket wheel73 on shaft 53. The rod is bent downwardly and yoked to engage in a circumferential groove in the pulley shaft 58. Hence when the nut 72 is rotated in proper direction, the shaft 58 and the pulley J carried thereby are moved to the ri ht of Fi In order to cause the other blade pulley K, Fig. 3, to move simultaneously and in like manner, a third sprocket wheel on the short shaft 74c,'SL1pported on the standard at the opposite end of the machine Fig. '3, is connected by a sprocket chain 75 to a precisely similar arrangement of nut, sprocket wheel and screw rod associated with thejournal bearing M and shaft 76 said pulley K.

The sequence of the whole compensating operation may now be summed up, as follows: By reason of the wearing away of the blade A, its edge leaves its proper position with respect to the compression line between the rolls B, C, leaves its proper position with respect to the sharpening disks 33, and moves away from the feeling disks :2. T he disks 42, howcrer, follow the blade by reason of their constantly maintained pressure thereon, until the hook on lever en gages with the projection 57 on the pulley shaft The ratchet wheel 54: is at once operated to turn shaft Shaft then, through sprocket wheel 73 and sprocket nut 72, moves the shait58 oi? pulley .l to the right of lfigr. 4, and through sprocket wheel 62 and the long sprocket chain (51, which 6X tends across the machine, also rotates short shaft T-lon the opposite end of the machine, l 3, and short shaft 74 by sprocket chain 753 houses a similar movement of: the shaft 76 of the other blade pulley K, so that both pulleys d and K-and hence the baud blade A supported on thenn-are moved in the same direction to carry the blade bodily toward the Feed rolls B, C and the sharpening disks 533. The long sprocket chain 61 simultanitc usly operates all. the sprocket nuts 36 on the setting out screws Ill which move the pa rt of the blade to vard the ted rolls. through shaft Tl. sprocki-its 3? and and sprocket wh el. 35 on shaft (36, bp-

erates through sprocket chain 64: the setting out screw 87, which moves the lower part of the baud blade A toward the sharpening disks 32-. in this way, the blade is brought back to its normal position with respect to compression line and sharpening disks. But in returning to that normal position the blade pushes back the feeling disks 42 which now, moving in the reverse direction trom before, raise the lever 50 out of engagement with the projection 57 on pulley shaft 58 and prevents further rotation of the ritchet wheel 54. l find by actual trial that this de vice is sensitive to even small amounts of abrasion of the blade, and that when once properly timed and adjusted, it will immediately operate to accomplish the abovestated results.

It is to be observed that the disks ell are constantly feeling the blade, and that just as soon the blade, by reason of abrasion or displacement, starts to withdraw from them, they follow it, the lever 50 really acting as a sort of steelyard or scale arm which is constantly weighing the pressure of the blade on the disks, so that as that pressure relaxes the lever tilts by reason of the pre ponderancc of its longer and heavier area, until the hook 56 on that aim engages with the rotating pulley, shaft 58 and holds on until that shaft in its rotation draws the projection 57 from the hook. The pawl then is moved, by the spring 49 acting on the short arm of the lever '50, once more into enqaging; position.

it will be apparent that the lever 50 by" its movement visually indicates the change of position of the edge of the blade, and will continue so. to do it the pawl 55 be thrown oil so that no motion is transmitted to shaft Where it is desired to use the mechanism actuated by the feeling disks $2 in this way as an indicating device only it will be, of course, necessary'to operate by hand the sprockets 36 to move the blade back to normal position.

Both rolls B and C are driven. Power is applied to the first motion or driving pulley 77, Fig". 3, on the shaft 97 of which is a gear 78, which drives gear 79. On the shaft of gear 79 is a gear 80, which engages gear 81 on the shaft of Si is a gear 82, which 83, on the shaft of which is a sprocket 84, which by chain connects with a sprocket on the knuckle-jointed shaft 85, Fig. l, of upper feed roll B; Roll C is driven by a sprocket wheel 86 on its shaft actuated by a chain driven by sprocket wheel ST, on the shaft of which is sprocket wheel 88 driven by a chain from sprocket wheel 89 on the shaft of nears 81 and S2.

The sharpening disks 33 are disposed in dillereiit vertical planes, so that they act successively. The upper disk 33 is supported by a shaft journaled in a carriage 90, Fig. 5,

which slnlos on Ways 91 and is 21541 1 shaft 97 of driving pulley 7?, which engages with hevei pinion 10 on shaft sted by a hand Who 1 and screw. Lower :lisk supported on ii shsili oui'nnlod in which slides on ways ii sna l is also sal jnslod by 21 hand Wl ol and (in the iiisl; shafts are si losheavoai pulleys 99, 100. Joninolod on tho frame of the machine is a (louhloslimveci ,m'illoy M, on the shaft of which is '22 s 'ii'ookoi Wllfiji. connotriorl. by chain in sprocket 96 on tho slin' fl: 97 of driving pulley T7. ho pulleys 1111i} '100 are driven from the iiouhlo-shooved poi ley 94, preferably by an endless beli which in the mo sheaves of pulley 94 and in the single sheave of each of the pulleys and 100. Trio bond blsulo pulleys J, driven by hevol'pinion 98, Fig. 4%, also pinion of blade pull-o3 J, said pinion being keyedio said shaft :38 so permit ills longitudinal movement of snicl shaft in its jomnois, as alrozidy ciosciihecl, ill: is l'io loo forthnoltocl shah the hiclo enters hetwen the rolls uncle slight pressure it first, ihon in. proceeding to tho splitl'ing-lzlolo, passes ilie line of maximum compression before losing is leased by the elastic c iwoi'ing of th s lower roll. Vi hon, however, this v-oll is forced.

bodily from its initial position, ihe iine of maximum compression oh-nges, hy'moving a'vvo'v from the blsrle; but the spiitiing sonclitioi'is do not change, because the some cause which (iisplooos ill, roll-namely,

of said rolls being movable in inclineci planes located in i ont. of the edge of saicl blade and converging to a plane including thoedgi and transverse axis of said blade.

8. [L lesthessplitting machine, oompi'isr ing fsool rolls and a snlixiing lzuie having a snrfgioo hevoiecl lo the cutiing edge: iho rotaiion of one of said rolls being movable in a plane looalocl in front oi? rho sflge of said blade and disposal at a rig lil angle in the plane oi? ssicl beveled surface.

4. A lonthsr spliflinq machine, comprising feed,rolls and a splitting hisole having on opposite sioes surfaces Towels-(l io cut ting;- oolgs: :iho axes of vois of said rolls be ng located in front iziio ezigo of said on Tho,

hlaiie sni'l in planes i'ospociivoly disposed at righa m'iglos ijo tho pianos of soul beveled Coin prisimving its SRlnLL blail? l soul rolls, sno I (ii-ting said elastic sags irosi homily su elastic roll, and means for varying tho -i-osilisnoy of soul snppoiii' moans.

'Z, A osthsr-spll, ing machine, comprising food rolls, one of said rolls having an elastic surface, s splitting-blade having its edge between said rolls, means for resilionily supporting said elastic -ro-ll, and moans for acljusi-ingsnicl elastic roll with respect to said hlacis,

.8. A ieathor-splittll machine, comprising a i'ams, upper and-lower feed rolls, a spliiting-h ncle having its Bilge; hot-Ween said. i'oll. a pivoted to said frame and six oring on ono ai-in said lower food. roll, rosiiioni; means coaching with he, opposite said lever for opposing depression of said. lovvsr'ioli, and means for guiding on axis of mission of sairl lower roll in a plane ioooiaecl in front of the erigo of said; hlmio 22,118. inclined to o, plane including the edge, and t-mnsvosso axis of said blade.

9. A loathefisiglitting machine, oompris a ran1e,npper and lower feed rolls, a silitti g-hlaclo hoving its edge between said rolls, a. lover pivoted to said frame and snpponzing on one arm resilient moans oosciing with the opposite said. lower feed roll,

arm of said lever for opposing depressionof said lower mil, 21ml. means for guiding the axis of roiotion of said lower roll in a, "piano loo-allies in fi on s of tho edge of saiol mass and inciinecl to ii, plans including the oilgo anal transverse a, is of said blade, the solid lover being; longitudinally movableon its pivot )Gl'lllli) said roll axis to travel in said inclined plans.

10. A. looiher-splitiing machine, comprising a frame, upper and lOWGi feed rolls, 2% splitiingbla-(lo having its edge between said Tolls, a lover supporting on one arm said lower feed. roii, a loose circular disk having an eccentric opening and seated in said iovor, a fixecl pivot on soiai. frame received in ssiii opening, means for guiding the axis of rotation of SfiidiOWGl 1'.=3ll in a plane located in front of tho edge of saicl blade and inclines to s'plsns including the edge and transvoi'so of said blade, and resilient means oo'scling T/iih ths opposite arm said lover posing (lsgsression of said lower roll and below said lever arm,

mois /ea 11. A leather-splitting machine, comprising a frame, a splitting-blade, upper and lower feed rolls, a lever pivoted to said frame and supporting on one arm said lower feed roll and having an opening in its oppusllc arm, a threaded rod secured at its lower end to a fixed abutment and loosely passing through said opening, bars loose on said rod and disposed respectively above and below said lever arm, bolts connecting said bars, a out on said rod below said arm, and a spring interposed between saidnut and said lower bar.

12. A leathcr-splitting machine, comprising a frame, a, splitting-blade, upper and lower feed rolls, a lever pivoted to said frame and supporting on one arm said lower feed roll and having an opening in its opposite arm, a threaded rod secured at its lower end to a fixed abutment and loosely passing through said opening, bars loose on said rod and disposed respectively above threaded bolts connecting said bars, nuts on said bolts, a

nut on said rod below said arm, and a spring interposedbetween said nut and said lower bar. 7

13. A leather-splitting machine, comprising feed rolls, a splitting-blade having its edge between said rolls, means for adjusting said blade with respect to the line of maximum compression of the hide between said rolls, and automatic means controlled by the withdrawal of the edge of the blade away from said rolls for operating said adjusting means to restore the edge of said bladeto normal position.

14-. A leather-splitting machine, comprising feed rolls, a splitting-blade having its edge between said rolls, a sharpening device for said blade, means for adjusting said blade with respect to said sharpening device. and automatigc means controlled by the withdrawalv of the ec go of the blade away from said sharpening device for operating said adjusting device to restore said edge to normal position.

lit-A leather-splitting machine, comprising feed rolls, an endless band splittingblade having its edge between said rolls,

pulleys supporting said blade, m HHS for adjusting said blade with respect to the line of maximum compression of the hide between said rolls, means for adjusting said blade with respect to said sharpening do vice, and automatic means controlled by the withdrawal of the edge of the blade from normal adjusted position for operating both of said adjusting means to restore said blade edge to said normal position.

16. Aleather-splitting machine, comprising fcci'l rolls, an endless band splittingblade having its edge between said rolls, pulleys supporting said blade movable in the direction of their axes of rotation, a

device for said blade, means for independently adjusting parts of said blade with reference respectively to said rolls and to said sharpening device, and automatic sharpening means controlled by the withdrawal of the edge of said blade from normal adjusted position for operating both of said adjusting means to restore said blade edge to said norl'nal position.

17. A leather-splitting machine, comprising feed rolls, a splitting-blade, meansfor adjusting said blade with respect to the line of maximum compression of said hide between said rolls, a member supported in resilient contact with the cutter edge of said blade, and means operated by the movement of said member due to the withdrawal of said edge therefrom for controlling saidadjusting means to restore said blade edge to normal adjusted posit-ion.

18. A leather-splittingmachine, comprising a splitting-blade, a sharpening device for said blade, means for adjusting said blade with respect to said sharpening device, a member supported in resilient contact with the cutting edge of said blade, and means operated by the movement of said member due to abrasion of and consequent withdrawal of said edge therefrom for controlling said adjusting means to. restore said blade edge to normal adjusted position."

19. A leather-splitting machine, comprising feed rolls,, an endless band splittingblade pulleys therefor, shafts for said pulleys, means for nljusting said blade with respect to the line of maximum compression of the hide between said rolls, mechanism, normally disconnected, for transmitting motion from one of said pulley shafts to said adjusting means, a member supported in resilient contact with the cutting edge of said blade, and means operated by the movement of said member due to the withdrawal of said edge therefrom for establishing mechanical connection in said transmitting mechanism and thereby causing motion to be transmitted from said pulley shaft to said adjusting means to restore said'blade edge to normal adjusted position.

20. A leather-splitting machine, comprising feed rolls, an endless band splittingblade, pulleys therefor, shafts for said pulleys, means for moving said pulleys in the direction of their axes of rotation, means for adjusting said blade with respect to the. line of maximum compression of the hide between. said rolls, means for adjust: ing said blade with respect to said sharpening device, a movable member supported in resilient contact with the cutting edge of said blade, mechanism, normally disconnected, for transmitting motion from one of said-pulley shafts to said several pulley adjiisting means, aiid moving and the niovemeni '05: said nice ope-rai ed by sliiiig ineclianicci con- "ens-misting mechai" n and motion to be transmicied ficoving and blade adi'e said blade of ?e to ii? A iced cells, an

end less band splittingblade, siig poriing pulleys therefor, sliafizs adjusting said blade with respect to said- 20 sharpening device, a rotatable shaft, mechanism. for transmitiing motion from said shaft said several pulley moving and blade adjusting means, mechanism, normally disconnected, for transmitting inoiion 'i'i'om one said pulley shafts to said lastiiamed shaft, a ineznbci supported in re- :ll' mt Contact will) the cutting edge of said blade, and means operated by the movement sa' l member due to idle Withdrawal of said edp'e therefrom for establishing his connection in said last-named ti'aiisinit'cing mechanism and thereby causing motion. so be transmitted to said several pulley moving and blade adjusting 35 means to i'esloie said edge to normal adjiisted position.

A leathee-splicting machine, comprising a splitting-blade, an upper feed roll, and a lower feed roll. having an elastic sur- &0 face: lilo axis of rotation of said lower feed roll being movable in a plane located in tfi-onii the edge of said blade and inclined to a plans including the edge and transsaid blade.

,iiei splitijing machine, comprisig-blade, an upper feed roll, j feed roll having an elastic sue of rotation of said lower feed 'filUVilblB in a plane located in of said blade and inclined edge and transverse iiade, and means operating upon ishdrawai of said edge itti'ng machine, compris rolls for moving said blade to restore said edge to noi'mai position with respect to the line oi? maximum compression of the hide betwee the rolls.

24. ii leatiieir-spliting; inacliine,'conipi"issolitting-blade havingbeveled suras forming anedge, a movable member lie in pi; contact against said beveled surfaces of said blade, means actuated by the 'niovcinent of said member in one di- YQCiiOI'E. due to Withdrawal of said blade sin."-

for moving said blade the opposite (l e, on to lGSiOllj said edge to normal position.

25. A. leather splitting machine compris inc a splitting blade, feed rolls, and means controlled by said blade for indicating the DOSLLlOZv of the cutting edge thereof With respect to rolis.

A leatliei splitting machine coinpris ing a splitting blade, feed rolls, and means controlled by the abrasion displacement of idle editing edge oi said blade for indicating the position ofsaid edge with espect to said rolls. i

27. A leather splitting machine comprising a splitting blade, i eed rolls, a movable member held in pi ing contact against the cutting edge po, on of said blade, and means accosted by said member for indicating the position of said edge,

28.1; leather splitcing machine comprisins; a splitting blade, feed rolls, a movable member held in pressing Contact 'a 'ainsi; the cutting edge portion of said blade, and a pivoted index arm actuated by said member for indicating the position of said edge,

29. A leatliecsplit-ting machine, comprising feed rolls, a splitting-blade having its cutting edge between said rolls, a movable member lucid in pressing contact against a beveled surface of said blade adjacent said edge, means actuated by the movement of said member due to the Withdrawal of said blade surface ,to indicafie the position of said edge of said blade, and means for restfiiing said edge to normal position.

in testimony whereof I have ai'iixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM QUIGLEYQ Witnesses GERTRUDE T. PoRTER,

MAY '1. MQGARRY, 

